A food writer's 250 favorite ingredients, with recipes for how to use them.

February 13, 2011

Recipe for salmon, asparagus and lemon pasta

When I pack for a vacation, I don't think in terms of outfits. I pack a suitcase full of clothes to mix and match, and when I get dressed each morning, I reach into the suitcase, grab a couple of things, and know that I'll come out with a combination that works. My pantry resembles that suitcase, filled with all kinds of ingredients that might go together; often a recipe starts with one ingredient and then, as I go along, I grab other things from the spice rack or cupboard, and hope for the best. That's how this pasta dish evolved. First came the farfalle, then the salmon from the freezer. The lemon was a given, asparagus (it could have been zucchini) a lucky find at the market, and the panko an inspiration that gave added body to the pasta. Mix and match.

Directions

Bring six quarts of water to boil in a stock pot. Add the pasta, and cook for one minute less than the package recommends. Drain (reserve 2 cups of the cooking water), and set aside. Do not rinse the pasta.

In a large (12-inch) nonstick frying pan, heat the olive oil over low-medium heat. Add the garlic and asparagus and cook, stirring or shaking the pan occasionally, for 2-3 minutes; the asparagus should be just barely beyond raw. Stir in the salmon pieces and red pepper flakes, and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. When the salmon no longer looks raw, mix in the lemon zest and juice, black olives, panko, wine and parsley or dill, and let everything cook together for 1 minute. Toss occasionally; the salmon pieces will break up a bit. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the pasta to the pan, along with 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid is absorbed. If you are opting for the cheese (and, though true Italian cooks frown on it, I love the combination of fish and cheese so I encourage you to try it), add the cheese now, and stir until the cheese melts.

Comments

I enjoy your site and found it interesting to compare what is in my pantry to yours. The biggest difference I found was an almost total lack of protein, especially meat and game in your pantry. My assumption is that you buy these items as required. I buy proteins in bulk, break them down and vacuum pack them. Others I buy from mail order, such as my favorite Dartagan only a few times a year to minimize freight.

I love pasta with any type of seafood so this one appeals to my tastebuds - a lot! Asparagus too. We'll have to wait for the warmer weather, here in Turkey and then we can buy some asparagus and make this dish. Roll on summer.
Julia

This is my second favorite combination. The first is shrimp, broccoli,lemon and garlic. The baked lemon pasta from the Pioneer Woman Cooks sounds good enough "to die for". Definitely on my "have to try" list.

John, thanks so much for sharing some treasures from your pantry. (This would be great to share on our Facebook page, too.) Some of the things on your list are actually in my pantry; others, like meat, are not something I consider a pantry item. And a few (escargot! duck fat!) are occasional indulgences, for me. Just goes to prove that everyone's pantry is perfect for them!

Julia, Bellini: asparagus was an out-of-season splurge for me, too, but it looked so good that I just had to buy it.

Pam, Bridge, Angela, Jenn: I can't resist salmon and pasta, either. I actually buy frozen salmon at Trader Joe's for the times when I can't get to the local fish market.

TW, mixing and matching in the kitchen is definitely all about confidence. It also helps that I have a husband who willingly submits to my culinary experimentation.

Pauline, I do love shrimp and it would work beautifully in this recipe, too. (And if you make the baked lemon pasta, I'll come over to help you eat it!)

We tried this last night and really liked it. I didn't have any black olives on hand, so I left them out. Next time I think I might try adding capers and/or artichoke hearts. It's definitely going in the rotation, though!

Mlle, artichoke hearts would be fabulous. Capers, too, but I'd rinse them off first to cut down on the brine. Thanks for taking time to come back and leave a comment. I'm so grateful when readers do this.

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Welcome to The Perfect Pantry®

My name is Lydia Walshin. From my tiny kitchen in Boston's South End, I share recipes that use what we keep in our pantries, the usual and not-so-usual ingredients that spice up our lives. Thanks so much for visiting.